Sentences with two-syllable, short-vowel words · a as in all; sentences

Our new sound: /ɔ/   written aw

Open your mouth like short o, then push your lips forward into a round shape and hold it — aww, as in 'all' and 'saw'.

Check yourself: Mirror: wide open AND round lips at the same time. Short o is open with flat lips; this one is open with round lips.

Watch for: Short o. In much of American English 'cot' and 'caught' are the same word — do not fight your own accent. Teach the spelling and accept the vowel your class actually says.

Read these · 40 words

◆ marks a word that does NOT follow today's pattern — Blumenfeld boxes these on the page. Teach it by heart; do not let the class sound it out and lose faith in the rule.

Read the sentences

• Kevin is a rascal.
• Karen and Ken will visit dad.
• Calvin put the pencil in his jacket pocket.
• Don put a red ribbon on his cat.
• Peg's husband has a wagon.
• The camel sat on the cactus.
• Pam can mimic a puppet.
• Deb has a red velvet sash.

Write what you hear

Say the word, have them repeat it, count the sounds on fingers, THEN write. The count is what stops a child writing the first letter and guessing the rest.